A man get’s caught stealing alcohol from his delivery truck and gets fired. Claiming to be a victim of racism (there is apparently not any proof of this) he goes on a shooting rampage and kills 8 people and then himself.
From CNN.com:
Authorities said Thornton, 34, resigned under pressure Tuesday after he was accused of stealing alcoholic beverages while on his driving route for Hartford Distributors.
As he left that meeting, escorted by two people, Thornton said he wanted a drink of water and went into the kitchen area, Davis said. Police believe he had brought two 9mm handguns to the building in a lunchbox. In the kitchen, he pulled out the guns and shot his two escorts.
Thornton then “went through the whole building in a very short amount of time” as workers cowered under desks and in “nooks and crannies” and 9-1-1 calls poured in, Davis said.
I do not own a gun. I am not a “gun person.” I still can’t help but think, though, that this story might have been very different if we lived in a culture that respected and prepared for self defense. What if many of the people in the building had been trained gun carriers? Maybe he would have been shot quickly and the tragedy would be less severe.
Even one person shot and killed by this man would be too many but it would be better than 8, and it would give would-be shooters something to think about if Americans were known to carry and know how to use guns!
Omar Thornton appears to have thrown away his life in a shameful and cowardly manner. I can already hear the cries to outlaw or restrict gun ownership that are going to arise anew because of this tragedy. Those cries will continue to ignore the fact that the problem is the sinful nature of the individual – not guns.